No better on-the-ground description of Britain’s war in Afghanistan will ever be written. Rain is what Chickenhawk or, more recently, Matterhorn was to Vietnam. It’s unputdownable, except for when the reader needs to draw breath or battle a lump in the throat

Riveting. The evocation of life in a warzone is captivatingly real . . . As well as the extraordinary detail there’s a heartrending emotional depth . . . The result is eye opening and harrowing. A really powerful debut

A wonderfully achieved, enthralling and moving novel of war. Its authenticity is as telling as it is terrifying

Rain is not merely good, it’s remarkable. Powerful, at times unbearably harrowing, it captures both the fear and exhilaration of men pushed to breaking point

One of the most powerful and emotional works ever written about British soldiers in battle. Troubling, funny, upsetting, exhilarating and deeply moving. You will never forget it

A powerful and moving story of war with all the authenticity of a memoir

Thrilling, gut-wrenching and profoundly moving, this book, like all the very best novels of war, has the utterly compelling grip of authenticity

An extraordinary book: authentic, beautifully written and very moving

Simply superb. It could become the defining account of British soldiers in Afghanistan

One of the best novels about the Afghanistan war. Brutally honest, it could have been a memoir. Read Rain

Gripping . . . the ending is genuinely shocking

A raw novel about the war in Afghanistan . . . the book smells completely authentic

A must-read debut

This is without doubt the best and most readable account of a modern combat soldier’s life that I have read. The unique relationship between officer and soldier is brilliantly explored, as is the impact of war on loved ones left behind. Then there’s the raw fear, the shock of the real thing, the loss of comrades and the sense of absolute mutual commitment that carries the day. I cannot commend it too much. A modern classic